Indoor Track: Ward pushes through pain for silver

February 21, 2012|By DANIEL KAUFFMAN | kauffman@herald-mail.com

By Joe Crocetta/Staff Photographer

LANDOVER, Md. — North Hagerstown sophomore Emily Ward left it all on the Prince George’s Sports and Learning Complex track during the Class 3A girls 1,600-meter run Tuesday evening at the Maryland State Indoor Track & Field Championships.

Ward fought through the pain to stay in a lead group that was four runners early, then three with two laps to go before the final lap became a battle between her and Hereford sophomore Sarah Ashwood.

Ashwood held off Ward in the final 50 meters to win in 5:16.33, while Ward settled for second in 5:18.05 — her best time indoors or outdoors, and the best finish by a Washington County athlete on Tuesday.

“My goal was to get a medal (with a top-three finish),” said Ward. “I wanted it so badly and I told myself before the race that I was going to have to hurt badly, but try to ignore it and run as hard as I could.”

She did ... and after crossing the finish line, she collapsed along the steel barrier in exhaustion. It was several minutes before she could talk.

“That was everything I had left,” Ward said of the final-lap battle with Ashwood. “I went into the second lane a little bit to try to pass her, but she was going as fast as I was and I couldn’t get past her. She had a little more than I did.”

Not that settling for second diminished Ward’s joy.

“I’m so happy right now. I seriously can’t believe it. I knew it would be all-out guts because these girls are so good.”

South Hagerstown junior Hayley Freeman finished fourth in the girls 300 in a school-record time of 41.63 seconds — and did it out of the slow heat, as she was seeded seventh.

Freeman actually was fourth in her heat entering the final 40 meters, but found a little extra and passed two competitors to take second. Then only two of the six runners in the fast heat bettered Freeman’s time.

“My arms were burning very badly. I just tried to push. I wanted to make my dad (Rebels coach Dwayne Freeman) proud and try to get a medal,” Hayley Freeman said. “I was very surprised (with taking fourth), I thought the girls in the fast heat would definitely beat me.”

Hubs senior Charlotte Anderson finished fifth in the girls shot put with a throw of 36 feet, 1 1/4 inches — her personal-best indoors this season. She hopes it leads to better things outdoors, where she threw 37-6 in 2011.